Sandusky brewery wins I-69 Thumb Region business competition

Published 9:53 am, Monday, January 30, 2017

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Sandusky brewery wins I-69 Thumb Region business competition

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SANDUSKY — It was down to seven business from across seven counties who vied for the "Catapult Your Craft Food & Beverage Business Competition," with Elk Street Brewery, from Sandusky in Sanilac County, taking home the top honors and the $5,000 grand prize.

The final round of the business plan competition was held Jan. 24 as part of the 5th Annual Regional Summit, hosted by the I-69 Thumb Region at the Davison Country Club. Cash prizes of $3,000 and $1,000 respectively, were awarded to the second-place winner, Harsens Island Brewery, (St. Clair County), and third place finisher The Tap Room at Bird Creek Farms from Port Austin in Huron County.

"This competition has given us great exposure and pride because we're representing a geographic area," said Anne Hasenbusch, who owns Elk Street Brewery with her husband, Ron. "The prize money will allow us to almost double the size of our tap room from 1,800 square feet to 3,400 square feet."

It will also allow us to do a larger distribution of our beer as well as expand our menu."Each of the seven businesses that competed advanced to the finals after winning the county-level contests. The I-69 Thumb region includes Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron and Tuscola counties.

The other contestants were: Town to Town Gourmet Pastries (Shiawassee); Olympus Fare Salsa (Genesee); Mulefoot Farms (Lapeer); and Fostoria Bread Company (Tuscola).

The business plan competition was created to assist entrepreneurs and small business owners with starting or growing a craft food or beverage business. In doing so, the competition will help retain and cultivate Michigan businesses by:• Providing capital to expand production and increase jobs;• Growing activity that adds value to Michigan's agricultural commodities; and• Expanding economic activity in communities throughout the region.

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"The I 69 Thumb Region established the competition to help support and grow more businesses in the region and to leverage our areas strengths in agriculture and tourism," added Carl Osentoski, executive director of the Huron and Sanilac County Economic Development offices. "The prize money is there to assist our craft food and beverage industry to expand and to highlight this business sector to serve customers who might not otherwise know about our wonderful craft food and beverage businesses."